Improvement in watch-key peoteotoes



@stitch faire aient @frirev A. J.. (3H-Asa,` or Bos'roN, MASSAQHUSETTS. Letters Patent `No. 73,077, dated January 7, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN WTH-KEY PROTEGTORS.

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TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME'z' Be it known that I, A. J. CHASE, of Boston, in the county of Su'olk, and 'State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Watch-Key Protector; and do hereby declare the following to 'be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, due reference being had toI the accompanying drawings, making part of this specication, and i'n Whch Figure 1 is an elevation, and

Figure 2 a longitudinal section of a watch-key provided with my invention.

Figure is a representation Aof my invention as detached from the-key. i

The object of this invention is to provide a perfect protection for the mouth of a Watch-key, against entrance of dirt to its winding-chamber, the invention being applicable to 'watch-keys of any construction, andV being' extremely simple and cheap-of manufacture. i

The invention consists in a conical-shaped block -of vulcanized India rubber, or other analogous material,

having a loop formed upon its base forttachmeut to the key, the saidbase beingrecessed for reception ofthe winding-end of' the key, essentially as hereinafter shown and explained. l

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my inventiou,a denotes the handle, and b the shanlr'or stem of an ordinary watch-key, the chamber in the end of such shank, for reception of the arbor ofthe watch,

being shown at-c. vvThe elastic guard is composed of a conical-another proper-shaped bulb or: block, having a shallow recess or indentation, e, made in its base, for reception of the end of the shank b oi'- the watchfkey, and to keep the guard in its due relation with the key. A loop, j', is formed upon the base of the bulb d, and makes part-of it, the end of such loop, when the-device is applied to a. key, being secured to the head or handle of such key by a half-hitch, or any suitable knot which will retain it in place. Thelength of this 'elastic loop being considera-bly less than that of theshank of the key, its elastic properties'will draw the bulb cilftightly up to and close the mouth of the chamber c, thus eectually preventing entrance of dirt o'r any substance to such chamber, at same time permitting such chamber to be easily uncovered. Y v I The invention is intended chiey for application to'a watch-key, although itinay be applied, with benefit,

, in different forms, to any species of key;

My invention, when applied to a key, prevents, to a considerable extent, the n'ear upon a persons pocket by the point of such key. The elastic bulb further answerst-he useful purpose of an eraser, for vobliterat'ing pencil-marks.

i The simplicity and cheapness of construction of the invention enable it, as before observed, to be sold at very small cost. l

I claim a vulcanized India-rubber keyguard, consisting of the bulb'd and loopf, made substantially as and for the purposes herein shown and set forth.

,A. J. CHASE.'

Witnesses:

IBnEDunIcK CURTIS, EDWARD GRIFFITH. 

